Why Are You Craving Coffee? Reasons, Effects, and How to Deal with It

We discuss how drinking coffee affects your body and how to deal with craving too much coffee.
By
Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
Writer
Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
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Ryan Hendricks
Ryan Hendricks
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Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 13, 2023
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According to a Global Consumer Survey made by Statista, 44% of people in the US drink two or more cups of coffee daily. Another 26% only take one cup of coffee or none at all. So, you are not alone if you feel you can’t start your day without drinking a cup of coffee.

However, above the rich taste and aroma, there are other reasons your favorite cup of coffee is the first thing on your mind every morning. In this article, you will learn why you are constantly craving coffee and how you can cut down on it. If you prefer cold brew coffee, be sure to invest in a quality coffee grinder like one of the best coffee grinders for cold brew to maximize the flavor.

How Does Drinking Coffee Affect Your Body?

The body absorbs coffee well. And you would typically feel the effects after 5 to 30 minutes of drinking it. Some of these effects are increased heart rate, breathing, physical energy, and mental alertness. While these effects might differ from one individual to another, they can last up to twelve hours.

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Why Are You Craving Coffee? Reasons, Effects, and How to Deal with It

There are several benefits you enjoy from drinking coffee. Some of them include:

It Boosts Energy Levels

Caffeine, the primary ingredient in coffee, can help boost energy levels by influencing the brain’s adenosine receptors. The neural activity within the neural membrane becomes slow when these receptors bind, leading to tiredness.

When you drink coffee, the neural membrane binds with the caffeine in your coffee, leaving less or no room for the receptors to bink. This process will help to boost your energy instead of inducing tiredness.

It Strengthens the DNA

Naturally, the DNA strands break repeatedly, and the body repairs them. However, it’s not always this straightforward. For example, if a double strand of DNA breaks, it can lead to a toxic legion. This is where your body starts making cancerous mutated cells.

This is not a situation you want to experience. Several studies have revealed that drinking coffee can strengthen the DNA Trusted Source logo www.inc.com . It also helps to avoid acute breakages. Drinking coffee is advisable for people who want to stabilize their DNA integrity.

Caffeine May Burn Calories

Research conducted by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition aims to prove that caffeine can incite thermogenesis in the human body.

Thermogenesis is the production of heat. The body uses this heat to burn calories faster. This process improves by exercising. So, you will get better results when you combine caffeine intake with exercise.

Stepwise regression analysis was employed to examine the response of thermogenesis as the subject variable when caffeine was taken. They found a positive relationship between thermogenic responses and caffeine intake.

This means that people who drink coffee burn calories faster while exercising than those who don’t.

It Decreases the Risk of Particular Severe Diseases

Drinking caffeine has been linked to reducing the risk of some severe diseases. Some of them are:

  • Parkinson’s Disease

Numerous studies have shown that drinking coffee can help to reduce the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease. The studies concluded that taking at least two cups daily will save you from contracting this disease.

  • Type 2 Diabetes

A study done by Harvard University on 128,000 people revealed that drinking three or more cups of coffee daily has a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In comparison with those who drink one cup of coffee or none. It also shows that you are 11% less likely to contract this disease when adding a cup of coffee to your daily routine. You will also be 17% likely to get type 2 diabetes when you remove a cup of coffee from your daily diet.

  • Heart Disease

Many studies conducted by the American Heart Association have shown that taking one or two cups of coffee daily can considerably decrease the risk of heart disease.

Drawbacks of Drinking Coffee

As healthy as drinking coffee is, it also comes with some drawbacks. Here are some of them:

  • Heartburn
  • Anxiety
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Depression
  • High blood pressure
  • Addiction
  • Fatigue

Check out this video to find out more about the effects of coffee on your body.

Do You Drink Too Much Coffee?

The truth is you can drink too much coffee. If you take more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, you should reduce your coffee intake. 400 milligrams is approximately four cups of coffee. For better context, this is the amount of caffeine in ten coca-cola cans.

So, if you can’t take more than ten cans of cola in a day, you should not take more than four cups of coffee too.

Decaffeinated coffees such as Maud’s Gourmet Coffee can help you to reduce your daily coffee intake.

Craving Coffee During Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and you are wondering, “why am I craving coffee all of a sudden?” you are not alone. Craving coffee during pregnancy is pretty regular and expected. Many studies have revealed Trusted Source What Does It Mean If You Crave Coffee While Pregnant? Fatigue Isn't The Only Reason During pregnancy, my relationship with food was — intense. I blissed out over pasta, despised splitting appetizers at restaurants, and dreamed vividly of breakfast every night before I fell asleep. Occasionally, the desire for something salty —… www.romper.com that this craving might be tied to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, not eating particular food before pregnancy, or psychological factors.

These coffee cravings might increase at the end of the first trimester. Your energy levels will drop, and tiredness will set in. Also, your sense of taste and smell will be affected when your hormones change.

So, if you have limited or given up coffee intake, walking into a coffee shop or smelling coffee brewing can trigger your cravings. And there is a huge probability that you will be craving coffee in the third trimester even more than in the previous two trimesters.

One cup of coffee daily is advisable throughout your pregnancy to avoid complications. You might want to check out some of the best decaf K-cups to choose the one that best fits your needs.

Why Am I Craving Coffee? Possible Reasons

Why Are You Craving Coffee? Reasons, Effects, and How to Deal with It

If you have noticed how much you drink coffee and wonder why. The following reasons will help you find answers to your questions.

Your Brain Needs It

Amino acid is one of the ingredients in coffee. It is the primary component of neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemicals that make us feel good. When the brain is not supplied with these chemicals, we naturally turn to other psychoactive drugs to feel better. These include cigarettes, coffee, sugar, and alcohol. The body obtains amino acids from the coffee to feed the brain.

Your Stress Hormones Need It

If you constantly crave coffee, it might be because you have low catecholamines. These are hormones the adrenal (stress) glands produce. Some of them are epinephrine-adrenaline and dopamine. Your adrenal glands will need more of these hormones because coffee stimulates them. This will, in turn, make you thirst for coffee.

You Have Low Iron Levels

Low iron levels Trusted Source Why You Crave Coffee - Austin Woman Magazine Dr. Lauryn Lax, functional medicine doctor and our in-house nutritionist, shares her thoughts on coffee. Is coffee good for you or bad for you? Find out. atxwoman.com  might also be one of the reasons you crave coffee. Your iron levels are probably low if you feel constantly tired, exhausted, or weak. This can make you turn to coffee to stay awake, especially at night. However, tannins, a natural compound, are inside coffee. And it can stop your body from absorbing iron. So, while you might feel energized after drinking coffee, it’s not advisable long-term.

How To Reduce Your Coffee Consumption

Here are some reliable tips that can help reduce your coffee intake.

Tips and Hacks

  • Cut Back Slowly: It is not advisable to stop coffee suddenly. You might experience withdrawal symptoms. The best way to reduce coffee consumption is by cutting back slowly. If you currently drink four cups of coffee daily, reduce it to three, then two, one, and potentially zero.
  • Replace Your Inferior Coffee: Think of quality if you want to drink coffee. Reach out for one of the best chocolate-covered coffee beans. A cup daily is enough to satisfy your coffee cravings. Furthermore, you should avoid artificial sweeteners, sugar, and low-quality dairy.
  • Switch to Decaf: Taking decaffeinated coffee, like the Dandy Blend, can trick your brain into thinking you are still taking coffee. This will, in turn, lead to fewer coffee cravings.

Coffee Substitutes

If you are looking for coffee craving substitutes, there are a number of them. These substitutes Trusted Source 9 Alternatives to Coffee (And Why You Should Try Them) Whether you dislike the taste, are trying to cut back on caffeine or just want something new, here are 9 delicious alternatives to coffee you should try. www.healthline.com will give you the benefits you get from coffee without complications. Here are some of them.

  • Matcha Tea
  • Chicory Coffee
  • Lemon Water
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Chai Tea
  • Golden Milk
  • Rooibos Tea
  • Kombucha

Final Thoughts

The best decaf coffee has its benefits if taken in moderation. However, drinking too much coffee can be injurious. While coffee addiction is rare, coffee dependency is not any better. If you notice that you constantly crave coffee, that might be a sign to reduce your intake. Again, we advise that you should not stop drinking coffee suddenly if you want to quit. Slowly cut back till you are taking it in moderation. You’ve got this.

References

1.
2.
What Does It Mean If You Crave Coffee While Pregnant? Fatigue Isn
During pregnancy, my relationship with food was — intense. I blissed out over pasta, despised splitting appetizers at restaurants, and dreamed vividly of breakfast every night before I fell asleep. Occasionally, the desire for something salty —…
3.
Why You Crave Coffee - Austin Woman Magazine
Dr. Lauryn Lax, functional medicine doctor and our in-house nutritionist, shares her thoughts on coffee. Is coffee good for you or bad for you? Find out.
4.
9 Alternatives to Coffee (And Why You Should Try Them)
Whether you dislike the taste, are trying to cut back on caffeine or just want something new, here are 9 delicious alternatives to coffee you should try.

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